Last year, Gainesville's city commission passed an ordinance that said transgender-identifying individuals should be able to use whichever restroom, mens or womens, they're most comfortable with. Not known for empathy or subtlety, a group of conservatives
successfully gathered signatures for a referendum to repeal the
provision during the March 24 election. Their tactics are just ridiculous. I guess they're not watching the new season of the Real World.
They're also running ads where a
small, blond girls goes into a bathroom followed by a burly man. Their fear, or the one they're trying to perpetuate, is that Jimbo McSexoffender will grab a ratty wig and
a size 26 gold lame number from the dress barn clearance rack in order
to do devious things. Despite the fact that since the provision went
into effect there's been no such problems.
Hello people, we have two
wars, an economic crises, and record unemployment. Can we put a
temporary ceasefire on the culture war for a second?
I can assure you, every transgender individual I've ever come across is not out to destroy the moral fiber of the country, nor your family, nor molest your kids. The only time I've ever been accosted by one was over my outfit, and I probably deserved it. They're just people on their own pursuit of happiness, and whether or not that makes other people comfortable, they're entitled to it. The issue at hand here is about public restrooms, and really, that's the last place you should be looking for comfort. Go in. Do your business. Flush. Wash your hands. And try not to think too much about the makeup of fellow restroom inhabitants' chromosomes, will you?